Sculptures in Public Exhibitions!


Some sculptures are placed in prominent places for many people to view at one time. The New York World's Fair was the second largest American world's fair of all time. There were 206,000 people in attendance on the first day of the fair and this fair remained open for 360 days. On this page you will see many sculptures exhibited at the New York World's Fair (1939-1940). Before you check them out , consider this poster from the 1939 World's Fair. Study it as you think about the number of people who were able to see these sculptures and be influenced by them.


Poster worlds fair.jpg
WPA Federal Art Project, Dis. 4. (1939). Wanted! 10,000 guest homes, 1000 furnished houses for World's Fair visitors by March 15 (Poster). Nassau County Association Incorporated: Author. Retrieved, February 1, 2013, from: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/wpapos/item/98516768/

After looking at this poster, answer these questions:

How do you know that many people attended the World's Fair in 1939? Why does Nassau County want guest homes for visitors?

Why not have the guests stay in hotels instead?

What does this poster tell us about people's interest in the sculpture exhibited at the fair?



Look at these sculptures from the 1939 World's Fair. How have these sculptures influenced the sculptures we see in our community today?


Art - Sculpture - Textiles (Robert Foster) - Textiles
Art - Sculpture - Textiles (Robert Foster) - Textiles

Robert Foster (sculptor). (1939-1940). Textiles (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791329&imageID=1654335&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=420&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=436
NYPL Digital Gallery
Art - Sculpture - Celestial Sphere (Paul Manship) - Celestial Sphere
Art - Sculpture - Celestial Sphere (Paul Manship) - Celestial Sphere

Paul Manship (sculptor). (1939-1940). Celestial Sphere (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791114&imageID=1654123&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=620&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=636
NYPL Digital Gallery

Art - Sculpture - Mosaic God (Lawrence Tenny Stevens) - Mosaic God
Art - Sculpture - Mosaic God (Lawrence Tenny Stevens) - Mosaic God

Lawrence Tenny Stevens (sculptor). (1939-1940). Mosaic God (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791284&imageID=1654293&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=600&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=612
NYPL Digital Gallery

Art - Sculpture - Owl
Art - Sculpture - Owl

Owl (sculpture). (1939-1940). Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791011&imageID=1654020&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=280&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=296
NYPL Digital Gallery

Art - Sculpture - Sphere
Art - Sculpture - Sphere

Sphere (sculpture). (1939-1940). Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791013&imageID=1654022&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=300&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=306
NYPL Digital Gallery

Art - Sculpture - Four Elements (C.P. Jennewein) - Water
Art - Sculpture - Four Elements (C.P. Jennewein) - Water

C.P. Jennewein (sculptor). (1939-1940). Four Elements (sculpture), Retrieved January 19th, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791180&imageID=1654189&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=440&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=457
NYPL Digital Gallery

Art - Sculpture - Baboon Fountain (Marshall M. Fredericks) - Baboon Fountain
Art - Sculpture - Baboon Fountain (Marshall M. Fredericks) - Baboon Fountain

Marshall M. Fredericks (sculptor). (1939-1940). Baboon Fountain, Retrieved January 19, 2013, from:
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1791079&imageID=1654108&word=sculpture&s=1&notword=&d=&c=&f=&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&total=3406&num=660&imgs=20&pNum=&pos=671
NYPL Digital Gallery